Sobriety
by MsCharlotteJane
Summary: Based upon the recently spoilers of Lauren's return. Lauren Branning is back in Walford from rehab and ready to start her life over again. But with Joey still around, there might be another addiction she has to learn to kick.. Will she ever manage to get sober? Or will the two learn they will always be addicted to each other?
1. To Sobriety

**Author's Note: Please enjoy my first Lauren and Joey story. It is based upon the recent spoilers about Lauren's return. **

**Chapter One: Home Again**

Lauren dropped her bag on the floor and called through the empty house for her father.

"Lauren!" He called back down the stairs as he made his way to her, pulling his daughter into a hug that made her feel like it was worth coming back. Like maybe this wasn't the worst idea ever, and she wasn't going to revert back to her stupid ways. She took a deep breath in and hugged her father. "How are you feeling babe?" He asked her, concern clouding his eyes.

"Much better Dad, I'm better… I promise." She answered smiling slightly because it was truth; for once she was telling her father the truth.

"Well would you like to go out to celebrate that your home?" Her Dad looked at her with hope and she could tell he was really trying.

She nodded, "Yeah, sounds good, anywhere but the Vic. I'll just go and get ready." She replied, picking up her bag and running upstairs to her room. She stared at herself in the mirror at her blonde highlighted hair and slightly tanned skin. She looked healthy and she definitely felt healthier. The clinic her Mum had sent her to was tough and there were days where she would have rather risked death and have a drink than gone on with the counselling and health checks and urine samples.

She had lost weight as well; the healthy lifestyle the clinic had drilled into her wasn't just about stopping her addiction and dependence on alcohol but also about eating healthy and exercising. She slipped into some blue skinny jeans and threw on a loose white t-shirt and slipped on some turquoise sandals. She sighed and stared at herself, pushing a hand through her lighter hair. She knew she needed to go outside, needed to show her face and prove she was better. That all the times she had shown herself up and embarrassed her family, that wasn't her, it was the drink and she was so much better than that.

"Lauren?" Her Dad called from downstairs, she broke out of her trance and headed to the stairs.

"So where do you want to go Dad?" Lauren asked as they walked into the square.

"Wherever you feel comfortable Lauren" Her Dad replied smiling down at her.

"If you fancy splurging why don't we go to Scarlett's?" Lauren replied she needed to get seeing anyone out of the way. Especially if that someone were Lucy and Joey and especially if they were together, she hasn't spoken to either of them while at the clinic and she had even accepted their relationship. Or that was what she told herself anyway.

As her Dad pushed open the door she took a deep breath and prepared herself to face any old daemons from her past that may head her way.

"Right, me and my gorgeous daughter would like a table please?" Her Dad asked the dark haired girl behind the counter.

"Lauren? You're back?" Whitney asked staring at her opened mouthed. "No one was sure if you would even come back." She mumbled and continued to stare until she eventually choked out. "You look great!" Before beckoning the pair to a table as far away from the bar as they could get and then quickly running away. Lauren was quiet after that, daemons she thought to herself. Clearly Whitney had not forgiven her for accidentally/on purpose kissing Tyler while drunk. Not that she particularly remembered it, those few months consisted of a blur of one Vodka bottle after another and lots of shouting and crying and losing Joey for the final time.

The waiter came up and asked for their drinks order and Lauren asked for a Pineapple Juice not even missing asking for vodka and lemonade. Not even missing the feel of the glass or the smell of the vodka or the agreement she would have with the drink that it would help her forget.

Her Dad ordered an Orange Juice and she smiled thankfully, she wasn't sure how she would be around alcohol yet, especially here and especially if _he _were to walk in. Just at that point the doors were pushed open and in walked the boy who had plagued her thoughts for years. The boy with the dark hair and equally dark eyes who with less than one touch could make Lauren's walls that she had built so carefully around herself to fall down and he didn't even know it. She stared at him freely because he hadn't noticed her yet; her mouth hung open slightly because she was pretty sure he looked better than before. She could feel her Dad's eyes on her but she didn't care, she needed a few more moments to be greedy and pretend she could freely look at him, like he was hers still.

He was standing at the counter having what looked like a hushed but heated argument with Whitney and Lauren's eyebrows knitted together in curiosity as she attempted to work out what they were saying. Somewhere in the distance she heard her Dad ask her something and it wasn't until he waved his hand in front of her eyes did she finally stop staring at her long lost boy.

"Lauren, are you alright? Do you want to leave?" Her Dad asked concerned for his daughter and another addiction that might be coming about.

"What? No – no I'm fine. What do you want to order Dad" She said her attention having been dragged away from the boy in the blue shirt and back to her father whose eyes were clouded with concern and uncertainty. "I was thinking of ordering some kind of expensive fish since you're the one paying." She teased and her Dad rolled his eyes, a small smile flashing across his face.

"Lauren?" The voice immediately sent shivers down her spine and she didn't need to look up from her menu to know who it was coming from, she did of course. Her eyes flicked up to the tall boy standing in front of them. "I didn't know if you would ever come back." He whispered his voice laced with the vulnerability he would only ever show her.

"Joe, mate I don't mean to be rude but its Lauren's first night back and we just want a quiet night yeah? No hassle." Her Dad said standing up to match Joey's height and warning him off in a way that Lauren had once seen Lions do on a wildlife programme.

"Dad, it's fine." She muttered pulling at her Dad's sleeve so he sat back down. "Yeah I'm back, just going to see how it goes living here. Take it easy you know?" She told Joey, looking up at him was almost as hard as seeing glasses of wine go past her every five minutes.

"I tried writing to you babe but your Dad wouldn't give me your address." Joey admitted glaring at Max as he did so.

Lauren smiled and tried not to look too closely at how toned his arms were when he crosses them and tried to ignore how much she wanted to be in bed with him and wrapped up in them right now. "It was probably for the best Joey, I needed space."

"And what do you need now?" Just that simple question made her heart skip slightly and silently in her head; almost so quiet she couldn't hear it a part of her whispered "you". But that part was quickly shut down as she remembered a very blonde, very irritating girlfriend of his.

"She still needs space mate alright?" Her Dad interrupted and Joey stared at her waiting for her to correct him like she would have done once upon a time but if there was anything she learnt at the clinic it was that the adults often knew best and so she simply nodded in agreement.

"Okay, well see you around Lauren yeah?" There she went again simply nodding like a dog in the back of a car. "Oh and you look great…" Joey said almost forlornly as he walked away from her yet again.

"So now that's over I propose a toast" Her Dad said as she turned her attention back to him. "To you and sobriety." He said as they clinked their soft drinks together and all Lauren could do was hope it lasted because since she couldn't seem to have Joey tonight she really could do a cocktail.


	2. Party Planners

Sobriety

Chapter Two: Party Planners

Lauren pulled the curtain across and looked out at number 23, she saw Joey come out of his house and walk over to the Vic, her eyes followed him as he passed through the throngs of people holding pints to their lips and clutching glasses of wine. She rolled her eyes and let the curtain fall back into place, her two vices in one place all she needed to do was avoid both of them. She had suffered through counselling for her addiction to alcohol, she was shown how to deal with her emotions and avoid the need and shown how to manage her self control. However, nowhere in that clinic taught her how to stop her addiction to Joey Branning. Her Dad had her pretty much on house arrest since her arrival home and she had become very bored of daytime TV and the glares she was receiving from Abi due to her early homecoming. Apparently no one in her house believed she had the capability to kick her addiction on her own.

Lauren settled herself back on the sofa for another session of This Morning when there was a knock on the door. Pausing the TV because she'd become so hooked on the most recent debate between some idiot on the sofa and Holly Willoughby, she got up and tried to pull down the simple t-shirt and short shorts she had on – because since she wasn't going anywhere there was no point in getting dressed from her pyjamas.

"Lauren I –" Joey stood staring down at what very little clothing his cousin seemed to be wearing. Suddenly any blood he had in his brain was currently heading south and he couldn't remember why he was standing there.

Lauren blushed as Joey's eyes travelled up her tanned legs and then made their way back down again. "Joe?" She asked just making sure he was okay.

"Yeah right, I just came here because I need a favour and I thought you might need something to do. And I know you said you needed space but I really need your help and Abi said your Dad's got you locked up here." He rambled on, his eyes still flitting to her legs every now and again.

"What do you need Joey?" Lauren asked amusement in her voice because for the first time Joey seemed to be speechless. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her wearing little before, in fact most of their relationship had been based on their total love for each other wearing not a lot.

"Alice has asked me to throw Grandad a birthday party for the family you know? Just a small gathering but I'm rushed off my feet at work and thought you might be able to help out. You know, make invites and get the food and all that stuff. Thought it could keep you busy?"

"I'd love to help but like you said, I'm on house arrest and I can't get to the shops to get everything…" She mumbled and if she was being honest with herself – which she had promised she would be – she was scared about going out and facing everyone, bumping into people and having to avoid their curious gazes and sympathetic looks as all it would do was remind that she screwed up. Big time.

"I'll take you; we can go to a Supermarket on the tube and get everything we need. It'll be fun, I promise." He said with a smile that eased his dimples into place so much so that she wanted to kiss each one over and over again. And with a smile like that how could she say no.

"Fine, just let me go and get dressed." She replied, knowing this was just his ploy to keep her busy. She couldn't help question his intentions when he Lucy dutifully waiting for him.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, pretty sure the population of London won't complain if you went out like that. I know I wouldn't!" He called after her cheekily, his eyes firmly glued to her as she laughed her way up the stairs.

The pair of them stood in the Supermarket staring down at the trolley as they realised neither of them knew what to buy for this party.

"How am I meant to know? I can't remember any of the parties I've been to!" Lauren joked receiving a disapproving glare from Joey regarding her alcoholic joke – no one seemed to have a sense of humour when it came to that.

"Come on babe, we can just get some snacks; crisps, cakes, sandwiches. That kind of thing." Joey replied ignoring her joke and pushing the trolley.

"Didn't realise we were just doing your weeks' worth of shopping." She quipped, winking at him as he laughed and rolled his eyes.

So that's how the pair of them went, up and down the aisles collecting appropriate party like food and a cake. It wasn't until they came to the wine and beer aisle did Lauren come to a stop suddenly very unsure of herself.

"Lauren you alright? I can always just go grab some stuff and then be back, you don't have to come with me babe." Just that nickname there, her breath caught in her throat at the memories of every time he had every called her that flashed in her head. Right after they had had sex for the first time all of the walls she had built so carefully for herself had been knocked by Joey Branning. He would hold her at night and whisper things in her ear that would make her fall asleep in his arms. And in the morning he would wake her up by whispering "Morning Babe" as he kissed his way down her naked body on one of the best mornings ever. She didn't realise it back then but all those moments gave her the strength to be better.

"No I'm fine, I can come with you." She said smiling at him and he nodded uncertainty clouding his face but he didn't stop her. The two of them wondered down the aisle and Joey picked out wines and beers for the party while Lauren stood by the trolley, until a certain small clear bottle caught her eye. She wandered over to it and stared at the bottle for a while, it was so clear, it could have been water for all anyone knew and no damage would be caused. She reached out and traced the red letters on the bottle and imagined what it would feel like to tip the small container to her lips and feel the alcohol burn her throat and numb the pain.

"Lauren…" Somewhere in the background she could feel Joey come closer to her and prize the bottle she didn't realise she was holding from her hand. Carefully he placed it back in front of her, his strong arms wrapped around her stomach as he stood behind her. His lips were in her hair as he pulled her away with him. "You don't need it Lauren." She nodded as her eyes slowly filled up with tears; Joey turned her around and held her close to his chest. "You're stronger than all of this." He muttered into her hair as he stroked her back.

Finally they pulled away from each other and ignored the strange looks they received from other Thursday morning shoppers. They paid for their food and drink and headed back to Walford and despite Joey having to hold several bags in one hand; he refused to let her go.

The party was in full swing and Lauren managed to stay on the Apple Juice all day despite the fact that every room she went in people were talking about her or had just stopped. It was like a constant round of who didn't believe in Lauren and the overall vote was her whole family. She quickly wandered into the kitchen and shut the door behind her closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Alright?" Her eyes flew open and there across the kitchen stood Joey again.

"Wow, there is just no avoiding you is there?" She teased rubbing her hands up and down her jeans and avoiding his question.

"Lauren? Are you alright?" He asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine it's just tough you know? Feels like everywhere I go they are talking about me." She muttered, pouring herself another Apple Juice.

"That's probably because they are but don't worry about it babe, I believe you can do this."

"Really? Even after my display over a bottle of Vodka earlier today." She muttered.

"Especially after that, it was your addiction Lauren; it's tough to walk away from. I would know this because I currently trying to beat my own addiction." Joey said walking slowly towards her.

"Really? You've stopped looking at yourself in the mirror every two hours?" She joked winking at him, he grinned but chose ignore her as he walked towards. Lauren's head and heart was going into overload. What was he doing? She needed to get better, she needed space, and she needed him to not wear such tight shirts. Her heart was telling her something else though; she needed Joey and his arms and his heart to make her better.

Suddenly he was in front of her and he was tucking her hair behind her ear and his face was nearing hers, slowly though giving her time to avoid him or tell him no. But they both knew that was going to happen. And nowhere in her mind did Lucy pop up because right then it was just her and Joey and no one else mattered.

"Lauren…" He whispered as his lips made contact with hers and the sparks flew off the pair of them. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her to him and her hands went to the front of his shirt, desperately trying to eliminate any space between the pair of them. Joey backed her up against the door and pressed his body into hers as her hips automatically grinded against him. He moaned softly against her mouth and his arms moved to be pressed either side of her head caging her in between the door and his body.

Suddenly, singing started and Lauren pulled herself away from Joey staring at him, their eyes filled with lust. As their family sung Happy Birthday they rearrange their clothes and Joey smoothed Lauren's hair out. Despite their lips being swollen and their breaths slightly ragged they returned to their family and were congratulated by everyone on what a great team of Party Planners they made.

Throughout the evening, Joey stared at Lauren his need for her never lulling. He was certain she was avoiding him since there kiss, as she stood and chatted to Auntie Carol and Bianca. He wanted nothing more than to pull her upstairs and show her exactly how much he had missed her. It turns out, that although he was certain Lauren could kick her addiction. He wasn't so sure about himself.


End file.
